Project 2 Research – Psychedelia

Hippie Counterculture

“The 1960’s hippie counter culture movement involved a variety of social concerns and beliefs. The hippies’ primary tenet was that life was about being happy, not about what others thought you should be. Their “if it feels good, do it” attitudes included little forethought nor concern for the consequences of their actions.”

“At the end of summer 1967, The Diggers declared the “death” of the hippie movement and burned an effigy of a hippie in Golden Gate Park. The Haight-Ashbury scene had deteriorated dramatically. The Haight Ashbury district simply could not accommodate the influx of hundreds of thousands of hippies. Many hippies, some no older than teenagers, took to living on the street, panhandling, and drug dealing. Problems such as malnourishment, disease, and drug addiction grew prominent in the Haight community.”

The aesthetics of the era are really well represented here, and it helped me to absorb a lot of visual info into my work

This is more of a traditional documentary with less of an experimental edge but more information

Since music was such a huge influence during the time period, I decided to surround myself with it while working. After listening to it for a while, I really started to understand how this distinct art style developed:

“Psychedelic Art generally refers to art that has been influenced by hallucinogenic drugs. However, it may also refer to the art of the 1960s counter-culture movement. Some people relate art that is a visual depiction of kaleidoscopic-like patterns to the Psychedelic Art movement. The movement was closely linked to the psychedelic music of the 1960s as well and was evident in both concert posters and record album covers.”

Wes Wilson:

Victor Moscoso:

Bonnie MacLean:

“Spirals could often be found in Psychedelic works as well as concentric circles and a repetition of motifs or symbols. Collage is important to the Psychedelic style and many works could also be included in the collage genre. Surrealist subject matter was another major component of the style. Certain exotic motifs like paisley were also at the heart of many Psychedelic works.”